New Year’s Eve 2008 marked the end of an exciting Kansas football season as the Jayhawks wrapped up their first ever back to back bowl wins in school history.  Already fans, media and players alike are looking toward 2009, but I thought I would take one last opportunity to look back at the 2008 Insight Bowl and discuss 2009 sometime next week.

Full story after the jump…

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Obviously it's an important recruiting time for the coaches and a little bit of a slower time for the players.  Developmental practices are in full swing.  Players are wrapping up finals and getting ready to begin Bowl practices.

No Coach Mangino this week but some good press conference action from a lot of the players. Joe Mortenson and Adrian Mayes talk about their upcoming final game as Jayhawks.  Russel Brorson touches on some of the young guys that have impressed in workouts. Jeff Spikes talks recruiting and Dezmon Briscoe and Justin Thorton talk a little Missouri game and Bowl game. 

Jump into the post for the entire press conference transcript...

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A look at news and notes about Jayhawks and upcoming opponents...

• A look at early reports from the Sharp and Meier injuries.
• Talk of the Insight Bowl begins at Kansas.
• We talked about the biggest losses here earlier in the season and it looks like Mangino would have voted for Talib.
• Kansas regroups and prepares for Missouri.
• OT: Derek Fine feature on his career with the Bills.
• Showdown draws near.
• Border War notes...

My Thoughts...Well I wouldn't be able to consider myself a Kansas fan if I ever picked against us in the Border War so don't expect an unbiased opinion on this one. 

Against Texas the Kansas defense came out inspired and performed admireably against an impressive and balanced attack led by Colt McCoy.  This week in the final Border War for this linebacker corps I expect and equal showing but what will make this week different is the offense will be there to support it. 

Missouri's defense is by no means the Longhorns and Todd Reesing and the Jayhawks will get back on track, back up their defense and give them the support they need to maintain a strong showing throughout the game.  Make no mistake your not going to shutdown Chase Daniel but Kansas needs to find a way stop the big play and create a couple turnovers. 

All said and done Kansas is a better team than their record indicates and they put together their first complete four quarter performance of the year upsetting the Missouri Tigers.

Final Score: Kansas 35 Missouri 31

Full List of Supplemental Notes and Quotes after the jump...

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Head Coach Mark Mangino

Opening remarks:

“This Saturday we are preparing for our border rival, Missouri. It is a game that everybody in both states looks forward to and all of the fans look forward to. The players look forward to it as well. We have been off for a week and it seems like it has been a month since we have played a game. Our players are very anxious to get back on the field and play again. We have had about a week and a half of practice. The practices have gone very well and they have been very spirited. They have been very fast paced. Our players are looking forward to getting back on the field and finishing the season on a high note.”

“Missouri is a very good football team. They have a very explosive offense led by their quarterback, Chase Daniel. He has a lot of quality people around him, people like Jeremy Maclin, Chase Coffman, Derrick Washington and others. They can run the ball, as well as throw the ball. They haven’t changed much on defense. They have a good group up front, led by Stryker Sulak. He is very active against the run, as well as the pass. They have good linebackers, led by Sean Weatherspoon, who runs very well. He makes a lot of plays sideline to sideline. Their secondary is led by William Moore, who is one of the best safeties in our league. He is a sure tackler, a good cover guy and a very physical player.”

“This is a very good challenge for us. We look at it as an opportunity and we are looking forward to playing a very good Missouri team on Saturday.”

On the Missouri offense:

“They take their time and they are very patient. They will take the short pass or run the ball when it is there. One thing I noticed about them is that they have a lot of things taking place behind the line of scrimmage. They have quick screens, reverses, wide sweeps and play action passes. That means that they have faith in their offensive line, they trust their offensive schemes and they do a good job of executing those schemes. They are a very well-coached offense.”

On the KU-MU rivalry

“The people here in this region want this to be a big game. It is being promoted in the Kansas City area very aggressively. I think the fact that both programs have been playing better football in the last couple of years has helped out the rivalry. I think it has a chance to be a great national rivalry, but both schools have to do their share of coming in with winning records and programs that are having success. If both schools can do that over a period of time then I believe this rivalry can capture national attention.”

On former KU coach Don Fambrough’s annual speech before the MU game:

“I think he enjoys doing it and we enjoy having him do it. It is fun and the players enjoy listening to him. It is something that he really enjoys and he is a part of the program. He comes to practice nearly every day. He loves the program, he loves the players and we have embraced him. He gets really excited about this game and he has earned the right to say what he wants to say about it.”

On the mindset of the team coming into this game:

“This game is against our border rival. It is the last game of the year. We want to finish strong. Emotion will be a factor, but you can’t win a game just on emotion. You have to go out and play good, smart, tough football. Emotions are great leading up to the game, but you still have to play smart, aggressive football.”

Player quotes after the jump...

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A look at news and notes about Jayhawks and upcoming opponents...

• KU athletics game recap
• Game Notes
• Press Conference Quotes
• Kansas Senior Linebacker Corps wraps up a home career
• KUSports recap
• KC Star recap
• Whitlock Column talks about keeping things in perspective.
• KC Star Game Report
• Great Article on some of the Seniors

My Thoughts...The unthinkable happened yesterday, Kansas lost a football game because its offense was inept.  Todd Reesing appeared flustered and incapable of making the plays that we all know him for.  The pass protection was more than acceptable in many cases and there has been a clear improvement over the year with Jeremiah Hatch and Jeff Spikes, yet Reesing couldn’t seem to pull the trigger and couldn’t seem to keep the ball out of the dirt.  I say it again, the Kansas offense lost this game and it’s been awhile since I’ve had to say that.

A Senior day inspired defense came out and did everything they could in the first half forcing several punts by the potent offense of the Texas longhorns.  The unit forced a turnover, the defensive backs seemed to continue to get more comfortable in their new positions, and even the defensive line put some token pressure on Colt McCoy.  The problem this week was we couldn’t capitalize from an offensive standpoint.  The longer the game went without us turning the stops into our momentum the more hopeless the cause and eventually it all broke down. 

This was a frustrating game yet again for Kansas fans and it’s clear we still have work to do in the talent department before we take the next step and beat these big time opponents at home.  I talked about it a little yesterday but it’s worth mentioning again, Kansas needs some more time to improve recruiting and development based on the recent success.  This senior class committed to Mangino on the heels of a 4-7 year so while one of the greatest senior classes in terms of on field success ever at the University they probably weren’t the most talented to ever walk through the door.  Hopefully that class is yet to come and when they do on a more consistent basis we’ll begin to turn the next corner.  Nonetheless, we will see a 2^nd straight bowl, we are bowl eligible for the fourth straight year and I believe we’ve got a good shot at Missouri in Arrowhead.

A couple of guys on this team do deserve special mention after yesterday.  Kerry Meier, this guy is a warrior and all hear, we need a few more healthy versions of him on the field.  Dez Briscoe, amazing catch, another great game, and he continues to develop into a star.   Jeremiah Hatch and Jeff Spikes, no they aren’t there yet and no they didn’t have the greatest game, but they have shown marked improvement and if we could play South Florida with this current version of these two I think we win the game.  The defensive line, the unit that has been frustrating all year got some pressure and didn’t get pushed around against a usually dominate Texas O-line.  Thornton and Patterson both seem to be developing and getting more comfortable at their new spots and while I hope we get Patterson back on offense, he looks like a serviceable corner. 

Those are a few of my thoughts for positives looking ahead now it’s an extended Missouri week and maybe this team can put together their first full complete game in this one and make us all feel a little better.

Rock Chalk Jayhawk

Highlights from today's press conference w/Coach Mangino and KU Players...

Head Coach Mark Mangino

Opening remarks:

“Looking back on last week, Nebraska made more plays than we did to win the game. We had opportunities and didn’t always capitalize. We didn’t make stops when we needed to make stops. We have got to improve our tackling. We have got to play a lot more sound in our inside run game. There were a few bright spots. Dezmon Briscoe had a big day and looked really good. Todd Reesing had a good day, although his numbers didn’t show that he did. James Holt is really playing good defense for us right now.”

“This week we have Texas, who is a very good, ranked, top-five program. They have a lot of weapons on both sides of the ball and on special teams. Defensively they are very stout. They are only allowing 86 yards per game rushing. They have a very athletic defensive line with very quick, athletic guys who can move around. Their linebackers seem to be the heart of their defense. They are an outstanding group of linebackers. Their secondary is very athletic as always.”

“On the offensive side of the ball they run the ball with a number of different tailbacks. Their big playmaker is obviously Colt McCoy at quarterback, both running and throwing the football. He has a bunch of excellent receivers to throw to, led by Jordan Shipley and Quan Cosby. Shipley is also a very dangerous player on special teams.”

“It is a very good Texas team that is coming here and we are planning on having a good week of preparation and getting ready to play them. It is an opportunity for us to play a top-five team here at home and we want to play well.”

More Coach and Player Quotes after the Jump...

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A look at news and notes about Jayhawks and upcoming opponents...

• Jake Sharp runs wild behind the Kansas offense.
• Russel Brorson turns in a memorable performance.
• Notes including news on season ending injury to Justin Springer.
• KU Athletics game recap.
• Final Stats.
• Game Notes.

My Thoughts...The morning after and the win feels just as satisfying as the day of.  While it seems like our true football rivalry is Missouri this game was a big win for the Jayhawks and their fans.  My only question is why the hell are there empty seats after halftime when we are handing our instate rival who we clearly have on the ropes an absolute beat down.  Enjoy the journey and don't get so wrapped up in the destination Jayhawk fans. 

Enough of that tangent how about a look at the game.  There has been recent mention of Ed Warriner changing his offensive blocking scheme from a zone block to man.  Clearly that is the right move.  Yesterday, I saw our offensive line dominating man on man throughout the game.  K-State players found their faces buried in the grass and I can count more than a few times where Jeff Spikes and Jeremiah Hatch our two newbie’s were on top.  Jake Sharp used this to his advantage in a big way.  Many of his big runs were off the right side behind Spikes and Sharp made the right reads hit the holes aggressively, got to the next level and then made guys miss.  Not to mention his touchdown where he outran the Kansas State safety.  Fact of the matter is Sharp proved a lot yesterday, and with consistent blocking he can be a very effective back for us.  The shovel pass that he broke for long yardage was probably his best example of reading and cutting off blocks all year.  Overall, kudos to the running game for being the focal point and not an afterthought this week.

Defensively it was hard not to be very happy with the scheme and effort.  Josh Freeman is a very good quarterback with a pocket and with time.  Under pressure he sometimes tries to do too much.  Clint Bowen's zone blitzing along with the decision to utilize James Holt as an end was huge in applying pressure and allowing our secondary to provide solid coverage.  The scheme also allowed Russel Brorson to pick off his 2nd and 3rd Josh Freeman passes adding to his one from last year’s game against Kansas State.  In the backfield Justin Thornton and Daymond Patterson both looked much more comfortable in their positions this week, which might have something to do with not playing Texas Tech, but nonetheless both looked improved.  Another crew that made a difference was our defensive tackles.  Caleb Blakesly was a warrior in the middle, while Jamal Greene and Darius Parish did an excellent job filling in for Richard Johnson and tied up blockers allowing our linebackers to run free.  Finally the leaders of this defense Joe Mortenson, Mike Rivera and Darrell Stuckey used their freedom to roam and stifle the running game holding Kansas State to a minimal 91 yards rushing. 

Even the special teams were improved.  Daymond Patterson had room to work on returns, Herford and Crawford looked more decisive on kickoff returns, Branstetter put a few in the end zone, knocked through a FG and made some great tackles.  The only low point was the blocked field goal, but then again Kansas State doesn't lead the nation in that statistic for nothing. 

From a mental standpoint Kansas definitely recovered from the haymaker that Tech threw their way a week ago.  The players showed they aren't done yet and next week against Nebraska, the Jayhawks have a chance to break a streak, lock up a seventh win and probably creep back into the Top 25 before facing a tough Texas Longhorn team in Lawrence.  Big win this week, another huge and difficult game next week but fans can rest easy as Kansas for the third year in a row defeated rival K-State in the sunflower showdown.

Press conference highlights after the Jump...some good stuff this week...

                                                                   Image Source: KUSports.com

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A look at news and notes about Jayhawks and upcoming opponents...

The Good Guys...

• Notebook 1, Notebook 2, Notebook 3
• As noted earlier this week Kansas picked up another 2009 commitment.
• How a trip to Manhatten brought Todd Reesing to Lawrence.
• A couple of Kansas natives renew their rivalry in this weekends rivalry game.
• Kansas State wasn't interested in Jake Sharp and now he has a chance to show them how wrong they were.
• This weekends game is huge for Kansas seniors.
• Kansas players refuse to bite on bulletin board bait.
• Kansas coaches never concerned w/Todd Reesing's height.
• Bragging rights on the line this weekend.

The Bad Guys...

• Kansas State can't ever seem to keep their mouths shut.
• Josh Freeman not concerned with turnover filled past against the Jayhawks.
• K-State editorial on Ron Prince's recruiting philosophy.

My Thoughts...Allright suddenly this game looks a lot closer and means a lot more than anyone would have thought 3 weeks ago. 

Kansas is coming off a tough loss to Texas Tech and the schedule isn't getting any easier.  Kansas State arrives in Lawrence after another game where the defense simply did not exist.  This game will have big implications for both teams in terms of a bowl and also clearly has huge implications as far as in state recruiting and possibly the directions of each program.

The difference today will be the running game.  Kansas seems to have found it and Kansas State can't stop it.  If Kansas can establish the run early, avoid a slow start and put K-State on its heels this could be a big win for the Jayhawks.

Most improtantly for me I need to see the passion return.  No doubt these players have felt beaten up the last two weeks and last week I'm sure no one was harder on those guys than themselves.  If they come out with fire, passion and win this game convincingly Kansas will get back on track and still capable of fulfilling my preseason prediction of 8-4.

Final Score: Kansas 45  Kansas State 30

Also don't forget about the open game thread...I'm sure many of you are going to be out enjoying this one with others but if your around, you'll be bound to find some company here.

Full List of Supplemental Notes released by the athletic dept...Highlights after the Jump into the post...

Highlights from today's press conference w/Coach Mangino...

Head Coach Mark Mangino

On the KU-KSU rivalry:

“This game has been played at times when both teams have had zero wins or one win a piece. The people in the state of Kansas still got excited about it because it was two Big 12 or Big 8 teams playing against each other. It is state pride. It is bragging rights. This game will always be fun for the fans. I look back over the years and it doesn’t matter what the records are, the fans look forward to this game. More importantly, the players look forward to this game. I know our players are looking forward to this game.”

Player quotes after the jump....

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The strongest, singular unit on this football team is undebatable. Clearly, it is the linebacking core, one of the best in the country and, clearly, the best in all of the Big 12. The starting trio is special, with Mortensen and Rivera both having All-Big 12 First Team potential and, just maybe, All-American potential. Oh, and James Holt is one of the fastest LBs in the Big 12, and is one of the better "third" LBS in all of the country. Honestly.

This unit couldn't get much better. The problem, of course, is that they are all seniors, meaning that we will be playing with a brand spankin' new linebacking core next season. So, that should be fun. However, we have plenty of atheltes (six of which are discussed here) to fill the holes created by the graduating trio, namely Steven Johnson, Justin Springer and Dakota Lewis. Oh, and don't forget Arist Wright. Or the physical specimen that is Josh Richardson, although he shouldn't be ready to play for another two years-or-so. And that isn't even mentioning Drew Dudley. Honestly, while it sucks to lose three tremendous LBs all in one year, we have more than enough bodies to fill in.

With that said, here is the three year depth chart:

--- Italics denote projected redshirt year

--- Bold denotes EMPTY space on depth chart

There is plenty to talk about, so let's get down to it. I'm not positive that Dudley is a MLB, but he has the size, so I'll run with it. I'm really excited for Steven Johnson and Josh Richardson, they both have potential through the roof. Plus, I didn't even put Schermer on here, who is almost certainly ahead of Richardson, at least, on the outside. However, I can't spend all day just previewing the linebackers, and he didn't quite make the cut.

Player-by-player previews after the jump...

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